Stephen Wood is the Team Administrative Co-ordinator for the Participation, Power and Social Change research team and is also a Research Officer on the Sexuality and Development Programme.

He plays a key role in the interactions between the team and other departments within the Institute, as well as being the main contact for external enquiries for the research team. He is responsible for managing the operational aspects of the team and supports the Team Leader to ensure effective team co-ordination and both internal and external communications, manages team budgets, co-ordinates team recruitment and is responsible for the promotion of IDS research.

Stephen's current research focus is around sexuality and poverty, managing a DfID-funded research project with a number of key partners to examine how poverty reduction policies would benefit from a focus on sexuality that scrutinises their effectiveness and reach amongst communities marginalised on account of their sexuality.  He is also particularly interested in the evolving strategies of engagement between southern lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) movements and northern LGBT NGOs, as well as bringing  questions of sexual pleasure into the development field.

In addition, Stephen is currently a Staff Trustee on the Institute of Development Studies Board of Trustees.